Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-10-05
ABOUT NATIVE AFRICANS.
Their Superstitions, PoIygamy, Mo.
hammedanisIn and Other Matters.

Iheir Supefstitions, FolySamy, Mo.
hammedanisIn and Other Matters.
When the little republic of Liberls
was founded it found itself in the midst
| OF the most degraded savages. They
had some arts and trades, and somt
idea OF life hereafter, but they were
cannibal1stlc and warllke, and the In.
coming government and civilization
had to make its peace with those tribe.
that were within the borders of Libe.
ria by being careful not to disturb toe
rudely their old habits and authority.
1t so happened, therefore, that to thi.
day native kings and chiefs exist with
more or less authority within the very
limits Of the republic.
These native kings and chiefs, who
can perhaps boast a longer regal de.
scent than some of the white rulers OF
Europe, are still allotted wide do
minion. The chiefs are subordinate to
the kings. So that a king may have
many chiefs under him, but upon each
certain duties rest, which relate to the
government of the native population III
the republic. In one respect the line OF
succession Is much more senslbly ar
ranged, and is more democratic than
the rule which regulates kingly success
sion among civilized Europeans The
kings have many wives, but 1t is not
the Oldest son of the first wife who IS
necessarily the successor in authority.
On the contrary, when a king dies his
successor IS chosen from his children
with certain amount OF discretion.
The child who has the most command
ing ability, or who gives promise of
being the ablest ruler, is put on the va
Salic law prevails, aud a queen sue
ceeds her father.
AS 10 the institution of polygamy IL
Africa, it is just about universal. The
| missionaries do what they can to root
it out, but the prevailing custom is
that man, poor or rich, may have
just as many wives as he can support.
In one Instance, where a native who
had good many wives was converted
to Christianity. he sent them all back
except the first one to their respective
families, greatly to the scandal of his
relatives on their side and to his un-
converted native friends generally.
Indeed, IN this case, they punished his
faithlessness to his family obligations
by sentencing him TO death when they
found him in a position where the civil.
ISed power was unable 10 protect hiuI.
This unfortunate individuals name
was Dow-a-dow, and the mode OF death
allotted him was by the trying process.
AS he had broken his family ties, he
was himself bound tightly 10y cords, in
variety of places, SO as to check the
circulation of blood. which process pro-
duces very painful and lingering
| death.
The superstitions of the native Afri-
FThaEy
| continually fearing danger, and they
Wear amulets and charms which are
supposed TO prevent death, sickness or
capture. These, says Mrs. BarbOZa;
are sometimes made of tigers and leop
ards teeth; but a common and potent
ch@Em is made OF the white undarskIn
Of the alligator, on which Certain texts
| from the Koran are inscribed. This
sort of amulet IS often connected with
the most elaborate decoration.
They also wear a great deal OF silver
| in the form of earrings and ornaments
on the supposition that it prevents their
being poisoned. Poisoning is very
much dreaded by the natives, as the
| danger from excessively poisonous
plants makes its occurrence a frequent
probability. There are wild plants in
Africa the inhalations from which may
cause utdJl. duu OIlcIo WHICH,, IL you
rub against them, will prove often sim
ilarly destructive. The natives say,
TOO, that the silver Will tell you if you
are poisoned, by turning its color, so
that you can take antldotes against the
effects Incurred before il Is too laIe.
From certain plants the natives get an
effect like that OF ether or chloroform
when they wish to diminish paIE or So
cure sleep. They have, too, a sassa
Wood, which Is the product of a beauti-
full tree, a decoction from which brings
out sin, according to their notion. as
saffron tea does the measles. IL Is com
monty administered by husbands TO
their wives to determine whether they
have done wrong; but the wives, l IN
derstand, are not permitted to turn the
tables and test their husbands by
it.
Nearly all the moon supeIstitions
concerning the planting of crops and
the beginning Of enterprises, which
still liDger with civilized people, have
their similarities or counueTpartS In
Africa. But the Africans add to these.
For instance, one that Is peculiar to
Them: They say wien they Sc wa
terry streak about the moon that it for
tells the death of some eminent per-
son.
The reason that when a great man
dies a certain number of slaves or IN
fecior persons are Killed, is that he may
have their company on his long jour
ney. They think there is a future
world some ewhere. but that IL Is great
distance off. Their heaven is a place
the peculiarly OF winch is that every
one can do there. that which he most
wished to do on earth, but which,
here. he may have been prevented
from doing.
Not long after Mrs. BarboZa's father
died she lost son by drowning, The
natives told her that it was because no
one was killed TO go with her father
on his death journey. He could not
start upon 1t alone, they said, and SO
he fingered about, and when he had a
good opportunity, drew the boy in the
water TO go with him. If a person in
moderate station dies 1t is considered
well enough for him to travel TO the
other world unattended. Tney bring
TO his grave, however, certain articles
of food and clothing, and perhaps few
triukets or utensils which they imag-
inc he will need upon the route.
Mohammedanism is the prevailing
belief and religion among the natives,
but the superstitions of which l have
been speaking are the remnants of
| faith which came to them flom their
own early traditions. Neither Christ
ianIty nor any strictly modern faith
Seems adequate 10 uprooting these
crude ideas which their torefathers
handed down.
4 tC.H deserted hOHOr has been con-
ferred on II. Caiiletet, one or the two
physicians who liquetied the list of the
.ases. He has been nominated a
"Membre llbre" by the Academy of
Sciences, Paris, in place Of the late NJ.
du Moncel.
There Ore z uSi ,..,..r ,o,lla in fba